The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-04-01
ASSESSMENT BILL.
Al Increased Assessor mt Does Not
Mean an Increase in Taxes.

amount of taxes to be paid by them
This is an error. TIillustrate, let
me " 1t requires $1.50O,O00 per
annum to run the State Government
and pay its fixed charges. To raise
this amount it is found that tax
Of four mills is sufficient, together
with the privilege and other taxes,
while our assessment roll shows the
town lots and land IN our stale are
only valued at S200,00O,000. Sup
p lse you double this assessment aud
make it $500, 900, 900, will not a tax
of two mills raise the same amount
money? OF course. Now, then; is
any taxpayer hurt? VIII he pay
any more money in taxes? No.
But this is on the theory that the tax
es from all other sources remain the
same. But, what IS the result /.
the taxes from the other sources in
crease? Then, just tothat extent,
the amount TO be raised on the S 300
100000 assessment will be reduced,
and, instead of requiring two mills,
it will require less. Now, then,
look at facts. The entire assessed
value of town lots and land in Tenn
essee for 1886 is S20O,1l8, 265; the
entire taxable personally, $24, $780,
914. The total value of land as
sesse | in Middle Tennessee is $64,-
ISL ,8S2-and of town property 800
S31, 622-can any man defend such
IAN assessment? 1t does not represent
the actual cash value of Davidson
Caunty. yet our State Constitution
requires property to be assessed at
lis value. Personal property IN Mid
die Tennt ssee is asses sed at $15,-
100000, and that is not enough to
cover tile value of personality III
Nashville alone. The personality in
West Tennessee is put down at So =
100000, and l know Of ten men
in Memphis alone who are worth
II, ore than that; yet this assessment
roll goes out To the worldas the true
representation of our condition.
Our assessment shows lard in Tenh-
essee is only worth 1851 per acre.
1t shows our property decreased in
value in SO from '85, and in IS
decreased from "a. So that we pre-
s9nt the picture 10 the world of
going backward instead of forward.
Now. suppose we let justice be done,
let the truth be spoken one time
and let our property be assessed at
two-thirds its actual value. What
will be the result? Oar assessment
roll will show a taxable property of
more than 500,0O0,000. Tie rate
of county and city taxes Will be re-
duced more than One-half 1.-THE
State having been fixed on the old
assessment cannot now be easily
changed). No taxpayer will have
to pay any more money than now.
Not only this is true, but | know
that every tax payer will pay less.
Why? we are on the eve of an era OF
prosperity such as we have never
dreamel of. just at this juncture
let it be knoTn i'm New York AMI
Boston, the great money centers ut
America that Tennessee has in
creased her taxable wealth from
1925, 100000, in 1886, to $500, 000,-
600 in 1887, and know that money
and population will flow into our
State as it did into the West and On
even a greater scale, The result will
be that while Ours in diyidual taxa.
BILE property remains the same, there
will he millions of new property
brought in and old property now
valueless developed. SD that when
we come to make up cur assessment
roll for 1888 Tennessee will sh W
not 500, 900, coo, but more proba-
bly,, 10000. 900, ami our rate of
taxation will be State, city and coun-
ty mcle song. 1t The people Of
Teneess ee wnl for once, cease tenn
PORTING and adopt bold, manly
course they Can place their State as
the crest of the very front wave of
prosperity Ii they will for this one
time, take these suggestions, the
rest of tl.eir way is assured and
easy
Do this, and in twp years from
to-day the light from the blazing
furnaces in Tennessee will encircle
her ertire borders. The fires from
rolling mills and fqundrie. aud 9th
err workshops will blaze forth over.
our whole lanod. Thousands OF
busy spindles will make our cities
hum with the la Il sounds If new
prosperity Oar great commercial
centers Will STIR and swarm with |
active business. while money, now
so Il, ar, will be seeking Investment
aud borrowers. at One-third less than
its present rate. Instead of to 10 |
per cent, the banking rate will be 6
or less.